The Sprout Initiative is a school-based homelessness prevention program that works to stabilize families with young children who are imminently at risk of becoming homeless by providing social services and housing stability supports. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to demonstrate that stable housing can lead to better educational outcomes among vulnerable children.

The Sprout Initiative will target children whose families are imminently at risk of homelessness. The initiative will provide housing stability services for the family, while coordinating support for the child in order to increase key educational outcomes. Housing stability services include case management and financial assistance to the family. The initiative will use a 2-Generation approach to coordinate care holistically for parents and children.

The Sprout Initiative is the result of a cross-system partnership between the following organizations:

North Penn School District

Your Way Home Montgomery County

Keystone Opportunity Center

United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey

Program Components

North Penn School District will identify families for the program based on risk of homelessness and its effect on children’s educational achievements. North Penn administrators, school counselors, and teachers will provide on-site supports for children and parents in coordination with the social service partner.

Keystone Opportunity Center will provide social services (housing stability case management and direct financial assistance) to families in the program.

Your Way Home will serve as project implementation lead, and provide ongoing program management. Your Way Home will also provide seed funding for the project.

United Way of Greater Philadelphia Southern New Jersey will serve as project champion and partnership liaison.

Target Population

Families who:

Are homeless under the Department of Education definition but not otherwise eligible for Your Way Home services (category 2 homeless: doubled-up, couch-surfing, living in a hotel);

Have elementary-aged children identified as having lower than average educational achievement on key metrics.